On 11th April 2011, barely 9 days after completion of the 2011 world cup, Shane Watson played one of the greatest ODI innings against Bangladesh at Dhaka. It was Australia’s second ODI series in Bangladesh and they had a new captain in Michael Clarke as Rick Ponting resigned from captaincy after the world cup.
It was not expected to be a close series. Despite the Quarter-final loss Australians were still very strong team. Bangladesh hoped to provide some spark, especially through Shakib Al Hasan, who already established himself as a leading all-rounder of the game across all the formats.
As expected Australia won the first ODI and Michael Clarke celebrated his promotion to permanent captaincy with a hundred. Two days later the teams met again with Australia looking to close the series with another victory. Shakib won the toss and opted to bat. However Bangladesh could only get a modest 229 thanks largely to Mushiqur Rahim’s unbeaten 81.
For Australia, Shane Watson came to open along with the wicket keeper Brad Haddin. From the outset, Watson was in an attacking mood. He started off with three boundaries in the first over. Shakib identified spin as their strength and brought himself on as early as third over. But with hardly any turn in the pitch the move backfired as Watson started to hit lofting shots. By the 9th over Haddin was gone for eight with the team total was 62 with Watson already completing his fifty. Ponting came but played only a supporting role to Watson who by then was in full flow. He reached his hundred in 69 balls and increased the tempo even further. His 150 came in 83 balls with the team total on 191.
When Ponting finished the match with a boundary in the last ball of the 26th over, Watson was unbeaten on 185. He ended with 15 sixes and 15 fours, which means 150 runs came in boundaries. This was a world record back then and now stands at the third position in the list of the most runs in boundaries in one innings. His total score of 185 was 80% of the team total of 232. His 15 sixes was a world record as well that is later broken by Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers and Rohit Sharma.
This innings from Watson still remains the highest score in an innings by an Australian in ODIs. But even outside the record books this was a memorable knock from Australia’s big hitting all-rounder.
Video: Shane Watson 196
